Automobile lock



F. A. SMITH AUTOMOBILE LOOK Oct. 1s, 1932.

Filed Nov. 27, 1951 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 FFICE FREDERICK A. SMITH, FNORTHVGHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO OAKES PRODUCTS i CORPORATION, OFNORTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN AUTOMOBILE LOCKApplication filed November 27, 1931. Serial No. 577,664.

My invention relates to lock structures for locking the steering and theignition of an automotive vehicle and refers particularly to the type oflock structure in which a locking bolt is reciprocable to lock or unlockthe steering, and is rotatable to control the switch for the ignitioncircuit, but with control of the switch possible only when the lockingbolt is in steering unlocking position. An important object of theinvention is to provide improved means for locking the bolt againstrotation when in steering locking position and improved cooperation ofthe bolt with the switch mechanism.

Another object is to simplify the construc tion and arrangement of thevarious parts so that the parts may be more readily assembled and thecost of manufacture reduced.

The above referred to and other features. of the invention areincorporated in the lock structure disclosed on the drawing, in whichdrawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the lock structure with the steeringpost and shaft to which the lock structure is applied, in section;

Figure 2 is a section on plane II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on plane III-III of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a. plan view of the housing for the switch mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a section on plane V-V of Figure 2.

The lock structure comprises a laterally eX- tending body 10 having thecylindrical vertical passageway 11 for receiving the steering column 12of an automobile, a slot 13 leaving the semi-circular section 14 of thebody yieldable so that it may be clamped by a screw 15 to securely holdthe body to the steering column. Extending through the steering columnis the steering shaft 16 connected in practice with the steering wheel(notl shown), this shaft having a collar 17 secured thereto providedwith a locking slot 18 which will be in register with the passageway 19through the steering column when the steering wheel is in a certainposition, usuallyT in position for straight ahead travel of the frontwheels.

The body 10 has the cylindrical bore 2O therethrough in register andconcentric with the `passageway 19 through the steering column and inthis bore 2O a locking bolt 21 is adapted for reciprocation and alsorotation. ylhe locking bolt has the longitudinally eX- tending pocket 22for guiding the locking bar 23, a spring 24 behind the bar tending toshift it outwardly. The movement of the locking bar in the locking boltis limited by the engagement of a pin 25 with the ends of a groove 26cut in the bar.

A cylindrical passage or pocket 27 extends upwardly through the body 10and communicates at its lower end with the bore 2O and receives a lockcylinder 28 which may be secured in place by a suitable screw or pin 29.rEhe lock barrel 30 which may be turned by a proper key inserted in thekeyhole 81, terminates at its inner end in a cam member 32 which iseccentric relative to the lock barrel anis and engages in the transverseslot 83 in the locking holt so that when the barrel is turned by the keythe locking bolt will be shifted axially either to steering locking orunlocking position. The lock bar rel has a maximum rotation of 18()o andat the end of each movement the cam 32 will lock the locking bolt in thecorresponding position to which it has h en shifted.

`When the locking bolt is shifted inwardly any time when the notch 18 ofthe steering shaft is in alignment with the passage 19 of the steeringcolumn, the locking bar 23 will enter the notch and lock the steeringshaft. If the notch 18 is not in register with the passageway 19 thenthe locking bar 28 will abut against the cylindrical surface of thecollar ,17 until such time as the steering wheel is rotated to bring'the notch into alignment .ith the passage 19. the spring 241 thenforcng' the locking har into the notch.

8 extends dutwardly from the locking bolt 1 into a longitudinal slot orpassageway 34 n the body 10, and when the locking bolt isv -ie stop pinor key 25 for the locking bar 2 1,eee,o26

locking position. lllhen the bolt is shifted 36 the switch block will beswung to control outwardly by turning of the key in the lool: theignition circuit which in practice is conbarrel 30 the pin 25 will bemoved out et neced with the terminal posts 44 and 45. the notch 35 intothe wider slot 34 and rlhe arrangement is such that the contact thelocking bolt may be rotated .Jy means p int 49 of the switch blade isbelow the SSC or" a lever 36 red to the outer end of thY bolt.

Describing now the switch mechanism controlled by rotational movement ofthe loc bolt, a rectangular sheet metal :train-c 3"? if applied against"he boey l0 below t1. slot 34 and in its lower wall secures a hollowsupporting member` 33 in which a switch lever 39 is pivoted on a crossspindle or pin 40. rEhe upper forked end 39 of tie switch lever receivesan arm or abutment 40 secured to and extending from the locking bolt 2l'-.f arm extending a distance loiih tudinally with the locking bolt toJform an .zen-:led abutment surface for the switch lever. rtls shownthis abutment arm and the stop pin 25 may form an integral member oi ilshape ci w 'ch the one leg forms the stop pin 25 and one other legextends into t ie loc *ing bolt to form a supportJ the yoke part 49 thenforming extended abutment for the switch engaging in the :torlred end ofthe lever that when the locking boltis r gated switch lever will beCorrespondingljy7 swung. Such swing of the switch lever can beaccomplished only when the locking bolt has been shifted outwardly tounlocking` position tl'iat is7 when the inner or pin end 25 et theabutment member is withdrawn from the slot 35.

Engaging against the under side or" the housing 37 is the housing 4lhaving` its lower open end closed by a plate or block or" insulatingmaterial. Screws 43 may be provided to en tend through the block and thehousings 4l and 37 and to thread into the body l0 to thus secure theparts together in proper alignment.

The block 42 supports the terminal posts 44 and 45 whose inn-er ends areflush with the inner face of the block 42. `iVithin the housing 4l is aswitch block ot oblong shape supporting` on its under side a switchblade 47 which secured by means of a rivet 43 engaging midway betweenits ends. rl'he ends of the switch blade have contact deflections 49 and50 for engaging with the terminal. posts 44 and 45 respectively. ln theunder side of the switch 3l. c 1 4G at one end thereof is a pivot hole5l tor receiving the pivot deflection or extension 52 which may beformed by deflecting the metal from the bottom of the housing 4l, theswitch block being thus mounted for swinging' movement. At its other endthe block has the longitudinally extending slot or channel 53 into whichthe lower end of the switch lever 39 entends, the bottom wall of thehousing 4l havinga clearance passageway 54 for the lever end. Vith thisarrangement, when the locking` bolt is rotated by means of its lever orhandle pivot of the switch block and will at all times be in engagementwith the terminal post 44. As best shown in Figure 3 the terminal postis offset laterally a distance so that when the loclring bolt 2l is inits inner or steering locking position the switch lever 39 will be heldto hold the switch block with itc switch blade Contact end disconnectedfrom the terminal post 45 so that the ignition circuit will be opened.However when the locking bolt is shifted outwardly and rotated theswitch block will be swung so that its blade will engage with bothterminal posts for closure or the ignition circuit.

To yieldably lock the locking bolt in its essective positions foropening and closing he ignition circuit, the bolt has the longi-Vrfnally extending locking notches 55 and 6 i'or receiving a ball 57which is yieldably in the notches by a spring 58 within a plug` 59having threaded engagement in the body l0. 'lhe notch 55 in cooperationwith the ball serves also to guide the locking bolt during its axialshitting movement. For frustrating any attempt to remove the lockingbolt from the lock structure body a tongue 50 may be deflected upwardlyfrom the housing 39 to extend across the slot 34 in front of theabutment member 40?.

Briefly summingup the operation, Figures l, 2, and 3 show the parts inposition with the locking boliL locking the steeringserted in a keyhole3l and turned to shiftA the locking bolt outwardly to unlock thesteering and at the same time to release the pin end 25 from the slot35. is now free Jlor rotational movement by means of the lever 36 andwhen swung upwardly the switch lever 39 will be swung to cause swing ot'the switch block to carry its switch blade for contact with bothterminal posts 44 and 45 for closure of the ignition circuit. When thelocking bolt has beend thus rotated for closure of the ignition circuitthe locking part or pin 25 will. be 'in front of the inner end of theslot 34 at one side oi2 the notch 35 so that it will be impossible toshift the locking bolt back to locking position by turning of the key inthe lock 30, but the locking bolt must lirst be rotated back to positionfor opening of the ignition circuit and'to bring the part 25 intoregistration with the notch The lock may now be turned by the key forshifting the bolt back to locking` position, in which position the partswill be held to hold the ignition circuit open. During axial shifting ofthe locking bolt the yoke 40 of the abutment structure will pass throughThe bolt 2l' noy the forked end of the switch lever 39 but the leverwill not be turned until the locking bolt is rotated. After shift of thelocking bolt to steering unlocking position it may be freely rotated foropening or closing the ignition circuit.

I have shown a practical and efficient embodiment of the variousfeatures of my invention but I do not desire to be limited to thedetails shown and described as changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim as follows:

1. A switch structure comprising a body having a bore therethrough, alocking bolt adapted for shifting movement and for rotational movementin said bore, means for shifting said bolt into locking or unlockingposition, means preventing rotational movement of said bolt when it isin locking position, a switch lever having a forked end, an actuatingmember on said bolt receiving said forked end of the switch lever andadapted to swing said lever when said bolt is rotated, and switch meanscontrolled by the swing of said switch lever.

2. An automotive switch structure comprising a body having a boretherethrough, a locking bolt adapted for axial and rotational movementin said bore, means for .shifting said bolt axially into locking orunlocking position, an abutment extending from said locking bolt, saidbody having a recess for receiving said abutment whereby to preventrotational movement of said bolt when it is in locking position, switchmechanism, a switch lever extending into the path of said abutmentmember to be swung when said locking bolt is rotated, and means wherebyswing of said lever actua-tes said switch mechanism for circuitcontrolling operation.

3. A lock structure comprising a body having a bore therethrough, alocking bolt adapted for reciprocable and rotational movements in saidbore, means for reciprocating said bolt into locking or unlockingpositions, a switch having an actuating member, a member extending fromsaid locking bolt into cooperative relation with said switch actuatingmember, means whereby said extension meinber may move independently ofmovement of said actuating member when said locking bolt is reciprocatedand means whereby said eXtenSion member will cause movement of saidactuating member and operation of said switch mechanism when saidlocking bolt is rotated, and a locking recess in said body receivingsaid extension member when said locking bolt is in locking positionwhereby to prevent rotational movement of said locking bolt.

4. A lock structure comprising a body having a bore therethrough, alocking bolt adapted for reciprocation and rotational movement in saidbore, means for reciprocating said bolt to locking or unlockingpositions, a switch, an actuating lever for said switch having a forkedend, anextensionon said lock- -ing bolt engaging in the forked end ofsaid lever, said extension being parallel with the axis .of said lockingbolt whereby said extension will shift through said forked end withoutactuating said lever during reciprocating movementofsaid bolt, means forretaining said extension member to prevent rotational movement of saidbolt when said bolt is in locking position but to release said bolt forrotation when it is shifted to unlocking position, said lever beingactuated by said extension during rotational movement of said lockingbolt to cause operation of said switch.

5. A lock structure comprising a body having a bore therethrough, alocking bolt adapted for reciprocation and rotational movement in saidbore, a locking bar reciprocable in said bolt, a. spring tending toshift said bar outwardly, said bar having stop shoulders, circuitcontrolling switch mechanism, an operating member associated with saidswitch mechanism, an actuating member extending from said locking boltand having a part cooperating with the shoulders of said bar forlimiting the reciprocation of said bar in said bolt, means whereby saidactuating member will move independently of said operating member whensaid locking bolt is reciprocated, means whereby said operating memberwill be moved to operate the. switch mechanism when said locking bolt isrotated, means cooperating with said actuating member to preventrotational movement of said locking bolt when said bolt is in lockingposition and for releasing said bolt forrotational movement when it isshifted to unlocking position.

6. In lock structure the combination of a body having a bore, a lockingbolt adapted for axial movement and rotational movement in said bore, alocking bar reciprocable in said locking bolt, a spring tending to shiftsaid bar outwardly, said bar having shoulders, circuit controllingswitch mechanism, an operating lever for said switch mechanism having aforkedA end and pivoted for swinging movement, in a plane at rightangles to the axis of said locking bolt, a U-shaped actuating membersecured to and extending from said locking bolt with its yoke partreceiving the forked end of said lever, the yoke of said actuatingmember being parallel with the bolt axis whereby upon axial movement ofsaid bolt said yoke may pass through the. forked end ofsaid leverwithout movement of the lever, one end of said actuating membercooperating with the shoulders of saidV bar to limit the reciprocatingmovement of said bar, a recess receiving said actuating member when saidlocking bolt is in locking position and to prevent rotational movementof the bolt when inzsucl'i `positiorn` .shiftingofsaid bol-tl tounlocking position' releasing," said actuating menzoer` romsaid recesswhereby saidvbolt may theniber'rotatedgtand meansffor rotating saidbolt', saidrvactuatngfmember .during rotation of'saidboltzezmsing swing.offsaidDpe-rating. levento 4operante said switoh'mechanism, f

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my. nam@J at: North.lChicago,.La.ke County, Illinois.-

FREDERICKA. SMITH.

